Rebirth
by MissMitty
Summary: Thanos' influence had reached the Nine Realms centuries ago, long before Loki met him in the depths of the universe. A son who bears the sins of his father. A daughter who bears the sins of her mother. They will be drawn into a dangerous game of love and vengeance. (This is an origin story. Pre-Thor by a long way, but will eventually tie up to the Avengers.)
1. Lady Zisa

**A/N: This fan fiction was in the _Thor_ section, but I have decided to move it here for two reasons: 1) Thanos has a key role in the story. 2) Honestly, the _Thor_ section is a bit dead and there are more readers here. I swear I put a lot of effort in this story, so please give it a chance. Reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated.**

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><p>In a world where rules were strict and punishments were severe, children grew up more quickly compared to the ones that were raised by adults who would do anything to preserve childhood's innocence as long as possible. And most of the time, there was a particular, defining moment to teach those burdened little souls that life was not a game and no action was reversible. For the thirteen-year-old Sif and ten-year-old Sigyn, it was the day of their mother, Lady Zisa's, execution.<p>

Lady Zisa was an important person in Asgard. In her youth, she had come to the Realm Eternal from Vanaheim with Frigga. They were like sisters. Then, Frigga had married to the young king, Odin Borson, and Zisa to one of his most respected lords, General Tyr. She had two beautiful daughters with him. They all seemed happy, as any other noble Asgardian family, until an unexplainable madness took over Zisa. One day, without showing any sign of insanity, she left home and broke into Odin's trophy room. What she wanted to take, nobody knew except Odin himself. After she got caught, she didn't even try to hide her hatred against the entire Asgard ever again, but refused to explain anything else. Nevertheless, at her trial, the All-Father had decided that she was fully responsible for her actions. Lord Tyr fully supported his decisions, and his confused daughters had no choice but obeying their father and keeping their sorrow to themselves.

A large wooden platform had been erected in the middle of the square across the royal palace last night. There was a white, stone block waiting for the traitor's head. The crowd started gathering around the platform with the first rays of the sun. A few hours later, Odin came with the Queen and the two princes, followed by Lord Tyr and his children. Odin's sons were as young as Tyr's daughters, still, Odin wanted them to witness how justice worked in Asgard. Sif held Sigyn's hand as they climbed the wooden steps and took their places. They were prepared for this. Last night, their father had explained them why they shouldn't mourn for her. The girls had promised not to hold any grudge against the All-Father. Odin was their king. Zisa, on the other hand, had new titles now.

_Witch…_

_ Traitor…_

_ Thief…_

They brought her in shackles…

The once beautiful, respectable lady now looked like a wild, rabid animal. Her blonde hair was a mess, her blue eyes were shaded with the dark circles under them. She was wearing nothing but dirty rags instead of one of her gorgeous gowns. People used to say Sif and Sigyn took their beauty from their mother. Sif's eyes and hair might be darker whereas Sigyn had the same golden hair and blue eyes as Zisa, but both were beautiful little girls and there was no doubt that they would turn into lovely young ladies when they grew up. Sigyn squeezed her sister's hand tighter. Sif squeezed it back.

"Lady Zisa," Odin began. His authoritative voice silenced the general humming in the air. "You were caught attempting to steal a relic from the weapons vault. You thought your magic was strong enough to hide from Heimdall's gaze, but it was not. The gatekeeper informed me, and I saw you myself with the relic in your hands. I, Odin All-Father, find you guilty of treason and condemn you to death. Do you have any final words?"

Zisa grinned. There was a dark, triumphant expression on her face. As if this was not a defeat, but a victory. As if it was not her execution, but her coronation.

"Why do you not tell your people what I wanted to take from you, All-Father? Why do you not tell them what is coming? Do they not deserve to know? Kill me, Odin. Kill me, but remember that for me, there is no death, but only rebirth."

"Enough! Come forth, executioner!"

A man in a black mask stepped forward. The guards removed the chains, forced her on her knees, and pushed her head against the cold, white stone.

"Curse on the day I took you as my bride," Tyr hissed.

"Remember, we must look," Sif whispered to Sigyn. Sigyn forced herself to look. She focused on the man's black mask, so that she didn't have to see her mother's head being severed.

The executioner raised his axe, and with the King's command, swung it in the blink of an eye. A gasp of terror, mixed with approval, aroused from the crowd. The noise startled a flock of starlings in the sky. It was over. The guards dragged the body away.

Tyr patted on his daughters' shoulders as they climbed down. "You did well, children," he said. "Now go home. Do not wait for me, I might be late tonight."

Sif decided to go home, but Sigyn started running down to the shore as soon as they were out of Tyr's sight. Sif couldn't even ask her where she was going. She kept walking alone. Sigyn had always been adventurous, Sif was sure she would be back home safe and sound before the sunset.

They lived in the upper ring of the city, close to the royal palace, where only the rich and noble lived. Before she entered the garden, Loki caught up with her.

"Where is Sigyn?" he asked, panting. He had been running since Odin let him and Thor go.

He had failed. He had promised Sigyn that he would convince his father to forgive Lady Zisa, but he couldn't. He wasn't sure why he had made such an impossible promise in the first place. Maybe he wanted to be like Thor just for once, the one their friends always counted on.

"I am not sure, she has probably gone to the shore," Sif answered.

Loki nodded and kept running towards the shore. Traitors like Zisa were sent to Hel in a black sack, usually with their heads separated from their body. The shore, on the other hand, was where funerals took place, of course, for the respectable Asgardians. As Loki hoped, the little blonde girl was there, sitting with her knees pulled to her chest, sobbing.

"Sigyn?" Loki called softly.

"Go away!" she yelled.

Loki was accustomed to being silenced or turned away, and had learned how to deal with it. He sat next to her anyway.

"I said go away!"

"I will not." he declared.

For a moment that felt like eternity, they both remained silent. Loki tried to imagine what it would be like to watch his own mother being killed. He wouldn't just come here and cry, no. He would kill his mother's murderer, slowly and painfully. It didn't matter how powerful the killer was. Frigga's death was the only image that could give him as brutal desires as Thor's.

"Will you avenge her?" he asked.

Sigyn looked at him as if he was out of his mind. "No!"

"Do you think her punishment was fair?"

She shrugged. "No."

Loki tried to change the subject. After all, they were too young for this conversation.

Both children practiced magic, but only under their own mothers' supervision. "I spoke to my mother. She will take you as her student."

"You are lying again. The Queen does not take any apprentices. You are the only exception."

"She thinks one day you will be a great sorceress and it would be a shame to leave your training incomplete. You can ask her yourself."

Sigyn stood up, preparing to head back to the city as she shook the sand off her clothes.

Loki followed her. "Where are you going now?"

"I am going to talk to your mother."

"Fine, this time you will see that I am telling the truth."

She stopped abruptly and turned to the raven-haired prince. "Loki…"

"Yes?"

"Do not tell anyone that I came here to cry. My father would not be pleased if he knew."

"Allright."

They found the Queen strolling in the gardens. Sigyn curtsied gracefully.

"Sigyn," Frigga sighed. "How are you, my poor child?"

She gave the answer Tyr had taught her, like an automaton. "My mother was a traitor. I do not mourn for her."

Frigga was wise and experienced enough to know that it was a lie. But she just smiled and pretended to believe it in order not to put the child into a difficult situation. "You are a brave young lady," she commented.

"May I ask you something, my Queen?"

"Of course."

"Loki says you will accept me as your apprentice. Is it true?"

She winked at her son. "Absolutely."

Her blue eyes shone with excitement. Training with Queen Frigga herself, Sigyn was probably the luckiest apprentice in the Nine Realms. Her wisdom was unparalleled.

She reverenced again. "Thank you very much, my Queen. I am grateful to you."

Frigga stroked her cheek. "You are a talented girl, Sigyn. You earned it. Now, be at my private study in the library after the breakfast time every day, starting tomorrow. Do not be late."

"I will not disappoint you, my Queen."

Loki was silent during this conversation. "I am sorry I couldn't change my father's mind," he said after Frigga left. "But I managed to persuade my mother."

"I know. Nobody else has ever done something like that for me, not even Sif. Thank you, Loki. See you tomorrow." Sigyn then returned home.

That evening at dinner, she told Lord Tyr that Frigga was going to be her new teacher. Zisa had spent a long time in the dungeons, so having one missing family member at the dining table was not unusual, or depressing to them anymore. Every evening, Tyr wanted their daughters to tell him how they spent their day. Tyr was a good, but disciplined man. He was raising his daughters with a warrior's discipline. He wasn't excited about Sigyn's practices of magic, but turning down the Queen's offer would be extremely disrespectful.

"I do not want to waste my time learning to fight anymore," Sigyn suddenly said. Sif was surprised. She thought she enjoyed training and sparring.

"Do you think fighting is a waste of time?" Tyr asked calmly.

"For me, it is. I will be a scholar. I want to learn every piece of knowledge available to the people of the Nine Realms. One day I will be the wisest woman ever."

"You can be the _wisest warrior_, too, if you know how to balance your education." It clearly meant that he would not let her quit her martial training.

"Why have you suddenly become so obsessed with wisdom?" Sif asked.

Sigyn only shrugged. It was a secret.

After dinner, before she went to bed, she fastened the door, took a map from underneath her bed and examined it again in the dim candlelight. Zisa had given it to her on her last day as a free Asgardian citizen. She had asked Sigyn to keep it safe in case something happened to her. Of course, Sigyn hadn't been able to make any sense of those words back then. After his wife's trial, Tyr had burned all of Zisa's belongings. This piece of paper was the only thing left from her. Now, she wanted to decipher this map. There were dozens of tiny dots on it. And a particular spot was marked with blue ink, with a name written in runes.

_Tonsberg._

Was it a place? An object? Or a person? She didn't know yet. But there was another clue Zisa had left before she died.

"This is the map of infinity," she had said.


	2. A Noble Cause

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Sigyn, may I enter?" Sif called.

"I am coming!" Sigyn hastily folded the map and tucked it in the gap between the bed and the wall before opening the lock.

"Why did you lock your door?" Sif asked as she came in.

"I did not realized I locked it. I must have been truly tired." She faked a yawn. "Why haven't you slept yet?"

"I was going to ask you to braid my hair, but if you are too tired—"

"No, no. It is allright."

When Sif seated herself on the bed, Sigyn's heart started pounding like a hummingbird in her chest. She hadn't had the chance to put the scroll away properly. One single look at the wrong direction and Sif would discover it. Lucky for Sigyn, the room was half-dark.

Sif had beautiful, long, coal-black hair, but it often got tangled while she was sleeping, and she was a wild sleeper. That was why she sometimes asked her to braid it when she forgot to ask her handmaiden. Sigyn took a brush and enjoyed the feeling of silky hair between her fingers. She loved taking care of her elder sister. Sif had always protected and taken care of her when she was younger. Now it was Sigyn's turn.

Sif noticed she seemed unusually wary for some odd reason.

"Are you sure you don't need more light?" Sif asked suspiciously.

"No, it's good."

Sif… Her righteous, dutiful sister. Until now, Sigyn had never needed to keep a secret from her. She was the one who supported and guided her in dire situations. And Sigyn had always followed. Now, she had to make a choice between their mother and her. She knew there should be no secrets between siblings, but this one had to remain hidden, until Sigyn proved that their mother had died for a noble cause no one knew about. Then, she and their father would be thankful to her for cleaning Zisa's name, and pardon her for keeping something from their knowledge. Or, at least, she hoped so.

"Do you want me to braid yours, too?" Sif asked when it was done.

"I do not like sleeping with a braid, it gives me a headache," she lied. She wished Sif would leave her alone as soon as possible.

But she had already felt something was wrong. She took a look around the room, and unfortunately, saw a piece of paper stuck between the bed and the wall. She attempted to take it.

"No, don't touch that!" Sigyn yelled and jumped on her. The two started wrestling on the bed. Sif beat her, then took the map.

"What is this?" she asked.

Lying was pointless after this point. "Mother had given it to me before she died."

Sif frowned. "Does Father know?"

"_Does Father know _what?" Tyr asked, but not his usual calm, patient voice. Upon hearing the screams, he had come to check them.

Sif handed the map and told him what it was. Tyr took a quick look at it, then tore it into dozens of tiny pieces.

"No!" Sigyn cried.

Tyr was unable to stop himself. He slapped her in the face to bring his daughter back to her senses. When she cried even louder after she was hit, he prepared for another blow, but Sif came between them. She pushed him away and shielded Sigyn with her body.

"Do not hurt my sister!"

Tyr regretted for what he had just done when he saw Sif's frustration. He prepared to say something, but realizing he was going to cry in front of his daughters, he only clenched his eyes and his fists, then left the room with the pieces of the map in his hands. He was one of Odin's most trusted lords, the legendary General of the Asgardian army, known as the God of War among the mortals of Midgard. He had led thousands of men into glorious battles, but now he couldn't handle two little girls. What a shame…

Sigyn's lips were bleeding. Sif brought a bowl of water and a towel, cleaned the wound and tucked her in bed. Sigyn was still sobbing. Not that she was physically hurt, but her dreams about cleaning Zisa's name had been shattered, and mostly it was her fault. She was disappointed in herself for not being able to keep a simple secret even for a day.

"Come on, Sigyn, stop crying. It is not even bleeding anymore. You should have some sleep, or you will be late for your first session with the Queen tomorrow. Or don't you want to be the wisest woman in the universe?"

"Did you love Mother?" she suddenly asked. Sif had accepted her death so easily that sometimes Sigyn believed she was glad that their mother was dead.

"Of course I did, she was our mother. But that woman who died today, she was not. She was already gone by the time Odin executed her."

So, this was what she told herself.

"Why did you keep that map?" Sif asked.

"Unlike others, I believe she died for a reason. I was going to prove it."

Sif sighed. "She was practicing dark arts, Sigyn. You have to forget everything she taught you. Or you will end up like her. I cannot even bear the thought of losing you, so, promise me!"

Sigyn nodded, but it wasn't enough to convince Sif.

"Promise me!" she insisted. Sif was very well aware of her sister's obstinate nature.

"I give you my word."

"Thank you, sister. Goodnight."

The next morning, Tyr apologized while they had breakfast and offered to take her to her first lesson with Frigga himself. He said he should express his gratitude in person. Not that he was genuinely grateful, but out of binding courtesy.

They met Frigga and her younger son in the long, golden halls of the library. At this early hour, not many people could be found here except the scholars who worked in the archives. They were usually old men and women in simple brown robes, with their white hair and wrinkled faces, always reading books and scrolls, arranging the gigantic shelves or taking notes on the parchments.

Lord Tyr requested an audience with Frigga alone. He was going to ask her to be a mother figure for his daughters. He wanted them to be warriors, still, they should also learn how to be proper ladies. Not every widowed father could request such a favor from the Queen, but Tyr was relying on Zisa's former friendship with her and Odin's trust in him. As a compassionate woman, Frigga gladly accepted this duty.

In the meantime, Loki led Sigyn to his mother's study. This was normally his personal treasure island, where there was no bullying, mocking, rivalry and struggle. With Thor and most of his friends, he always had to prove himself. But Lord Tyr's daughters weren't like them, he had never seen them making fun of others. Sigyn was clever, good-natured and lively—when she wasn't mourning, of course—and would make a nice playmate. She was no threat to his sanctuary.

It was smaller than Sigyn had expected, but there were countless books and mystical objects that Frigga had collected through millennia on the wooden shelves. As a typical feature of the Asgardian architecture, the room was bright by the sunlight coming through large windows with gilded panes. There was a desk for the pupils, and a table for the Queen.

Soon, Frigga arrived and they started their first lesson. Frigga assessed Sigyn's level, and was surprised to realize she didn't know much about the basics. Sigyn, clueless about what it actually meant, told her that Zisa mostly trained her voice and touch as tools of magic. This information terrified Frigga, but she tried not to do or say anything that might insult Zisa's memory, otherwise it would hurt Sigyn even more. Zisa had been secretly training a child in the ways of seduction! There could be no possible excuse or explanation for such an abuse. Once again, she was embarrassed to be friends with her. She told Sigyn not to use anything Zisa had taught her, no matter what, and insisted to receive her promise. Her attitude reminded Sigyn of Sif's the previous night. Loki, too, noticed that appearing so panicked was very unusual of Frigga, and asked how magic was used in one's touch or voice, with his innocent, childish curiosity. She refused to answer, only said it was a practice that insulted the ancient art of sorcery.

A few hours later, one of the Queen's handmaidens interrupted the session. She whispered something in her ear, and Frigga nodded.

"That will be all for today, children," she said and left.

Sigyn seemed really sad and concerned to Loki that day, so he decided to pull a prank when his mother was gone to distract her a bit. There was only one way he could think of, and he had already prepared one for her. After all, this was her first day as Loki's classmate.

"I have something for you!" he said and took gilded, square box from one of the shelves.

"Open it!" he told her.

Sigyn did as he told, and saw a oval shaped, clear crystal in the size of an egg. It radiated rainbow beams as the sun touched its surface.

"Magnificient," she commented. "What is it?"

"It is the Orb of Fate. It shows you your future when you touch it."

"Have you ever looked at yours?"

"Yes."

"What did you see?"

"My coronation. I was becoming the king. Come on, I wonder what you will see."

Now Sigyn was curious, too. The moment she took it in her hands, it disappeared in a flash of green light. It felt soft and sticky, not hard and smooth as a crystal would do.

It was an illusion. She was just holding a piece of manure.

Loki burst into laughter.

"Disgusting!" Sigyn exclaimed.

"I can't believe you fell for it… _The Orb of Fate_, huh?" He was still laughing.

"I will show you the Orb of Fate!" Sigyn spread the manure on his face. Loki wiped it off, as he always paid importance to his appearance, then started chasing her. They were making too much noise in the library as they ran. One of the scholars noticed them.

"Hey you two! Come here!" he yelled.

They giggled even louder and headed to the exit. The old man wasn't fast enough to catch them anyway.

They were going to turn around the corner of the building, but hearing three women arguing, they slowed down and eavesdropped. One of the women was Frigga. They didn't know who the two other were, neither could they see their faces.

"I already told you, Lord Tyr burned them." Frigga said.

"All of them?" one of the strangers asked.

"As far as I know, yes. Why do you want her possessions?"

"The High Priestess demands them. Zisa was a member of our order."

"She had become a citizen of Asgard a long time ago, just like I had."

"You cannot be that naive, Frigga. She was our spy all along."

"Your spy? You had sent us on behalf of the peace!"

"Truce does not mean peace!"

"Was it the Order who wanted her to steal the Gauntlet from Odin?"

"We have nothing to do with her love affair. That madman is going to slay us all if he succeeds. We might not be real allies with Asgard, but we will never betray the Nine Realms."

"Is it as bad as Odin fears?"

"He must still be hundreds of galaxies away, but his search for the gems has begun. We do not know how many of them he has located so far."

Frigga remained silent.

"You don't need to hide it, Frigga. We know the Tesseract is on Midgard and Zisa harnessed some of its power."

"How did she even manage to go there in the first place?"

"Heimdall cannot control all the pathways between the realms. Of course, you do not remember it anymore…"

"I very well recall what I have forsaken, Ingrid."

"The real question is, where did all that power go when she died?"

"She was rambling something about rebirth. I only hope it was the nonsense of an insane woman. Other than that, I do not have anything else to tell you."

"Then we are done here. Farewell, Frigga."

With these words, the women went their separate ways. Loki and Sigyn were silent. There was too much information to digest.

"She had been to Midgard!" Sigyn said. "Loki, we must go there!"

"Why? What good is it? It will not bring your mother back."

"I need to know what she died for! Please Loki, help me." This was supposed to be her personal quest, but now that Loki had heard the conversation along with her, he was a part of it, too.

"Father says we are too young to travel. But even if we could go, you don't know where exactly she had been. Midgard is a big realm."

Sigyn thought for a moment. "We must find something named Tonsberg."

"Tonsberg is not a thing. It is the town where my father fought the Frost Giants. Mortals call it Tonsberg," he said proudly. Unlike Thor, he always listened to their history lessons with Odin or Heimdall carefully, now finally it was paying off.

Her blue eyes shone with excitement. "Then we must go there! Please Loki!"

"Fine," he said. "I will try to take you there. Now, we are supposed to be at the courtyard for the sparring session. Come on!"

After that day, Loki thought a lot about how he would keep his promise, but he thought even more about what the Vanir sorceresses were discussing with his mother. Odin always told him it was Asgard that had brought peace to the Nine Realms. Maybe peace was just an illusion, just like the ones he cast to trick his friends. He was disappointed. There were so many secrets, so many dirty games behind closed doors, and even his dear mother was a part of it. They were all parts of it. He felt disgusted and more importantly, betrayed.

Little did he know, he was going to be one of the biggest players in this dirty game when he grew up.


	3. Oaths

It would take ten years for Loki to keep his promise to Sigyn.

During this decade, Thor formed himself a group of trusted companions: Volstagg, Fandral, Hogun, Ladies Sif and Sigyn. Loki was inevitably and involuntarily drawn into this circle by his brother. The boys never stopped mocking him, even when they grew up (Asgardian children grew up as fast as mortal ones until they reached adulthood, after that point, their agining would slow down dramatically, allowing them to live for thousands of years). They mocked his magic, his appearance, his silver tongue… Everything about him was different. Even Sif sided with them eventually, leaving only Sigyn as his real friend. The thing Loki admired most about Sigyn was her ability to balance respect and compassion: Knowing it would bruise Loki's pride, she never defended him against her friends openly, but in private, she fully supported and encouraged him to have confidence in himself. As they grew up, Loki's gratitude and admiration evolved into something more romantic.

However, with one unfortunate incident, he was forced to bury his feelings deep inside his heart. At the age sixteen, Loki wrote a poem for Sigyn. He had an artistic side, and it seemed the best way to express his feelings back then. He kept it between the pages of one of his books before finding the courage to present it, but Thor found it first and showed it to his friends. It was clearly a love poem, but no particular name was adressed. They scoffed and asked him who this lucky maiden was. Loki said it was Sif. This was the first big lie he had ever told. He had discovered that the bigger the lie was, the more believable it became. They didn't even question whether his claim was true or not. They had their fun, Sif refused his faux offer, and then forgot about it completely.

They all did stupid things in their youth, and then made fun of each other, but none of them was as hurt as Loki had been. Innocence was a weakness in their world. To get rid of it, he stained his body, his soul and his heart with other maidens. Anything to cover his emotions. Anything to keep the last unsullied part of his soul safe. If everyone was so determined to make a fool out of him, he was going to do the same to them.

Sigyn always knew this poem for Sif was nothing but a lie, although she wasn't sure for whom it was. Still, their bond was severed and she didn't know what to do about it. That innocent boy was gone, probably forever. All she could do was to study magic with him and to fight by his and Thor's side along with the Warriors Three and her sister. They fought many battles, got many injuries and won many victories. When they came of age, they earned a right to swear their oaths.

So many people were there to see Odin announce the next generation of his most trusted warriors on that day. People were chattering, gossiping and courting as they waited for the King and the Queen. Lord Tyr was talking to Hogun, Sif was flirting with Thor—despite the events in the past, Sif was with him now, people were already taking her for granted as the future queen of Asgard—Volstagg was chasing the food, Loki and Fandral were courting with two sorceresses named Amora and Lorelei. They were sisters and had recently returned from Nornheim, where they had been trained by the Norn Queen Karnilla. Sigyn didn't know whether they had completed their training or just got bored and decided to come back.

She sighed. Whenever there was a celebration, Loki always found himself a woman to charm. He might not be the favorite prince, but he knew how to manipulate people just with words. After all, Asgard had an abundance of young maidens dreaming of being a princess one day. Loki was very well aware of the fact that he was an alternative to his brother, not the maidens' first choice, and he got his revenge by using them for his own entertainment. When he was done, he sent them out of his chambers, thinking nothing of the emotional scarring. He watched their silly, pathetic dreams collapse and let them see the pleasure he got from it. No one knew it except Heimdall who saw everything, but never interfered with people's private lives. Not even Sigyn. Whenever she saw him with another maiden, she spent that night silently crying, consumed by rage and jealousy, lying awake in her bed. Apparently it would be one of those nights.

She loved him, and she didn't know what to do about it as she was losing him a bit more day by day.

"Lady Sigyn?"

Theoric. Great. He thought of himself as a legendary hero just because he was a member of the Crimson Hawks. The truth was, they just patrol around Asgard's borders. They hardly encountered one or two trolls in a month.

"Theoric." She didn't even try to smile.

"Finally, your day of triumph has come. You must be so proud. And I am sure your father is proud of you and your sister as well." His spurious kindness made Sigyn want to puke. As for her pride, unlike the rest of her companions, she couldn't be less interested.

"Indeed."

"I have heard great rumors about the battles you fought, but I would love to hear them from you in person. How many battles have you fought so far, my lady?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, I do not feel a need to keep records. But if you really must know, some of them were in Nidavellir, against the Rock Trolls, in the Badoon Worlds against the savages, and in Vanaheim against the scavengers. Is this information enough to satisfy your curiosity?"

"Minor battles," he commented with a belittling expression on his face. "Still, it is a big leap for a lady who wishes to prove her courage, of course."

"The All-Father has chosen me and my sister as two of his best warriors. Are you questioning him, our king?"

"No, no. Surely not. I simply… believe motherhood is more suitable for a young maiden than the sword. If all women chose to follow your footsteps, we Asgardians would eventually cease to exist, right?"

Sigyn had had enough. "What a wise way of thinking, my Lord! I will definitely consider leaving my sword after these words… In your chest, preferably. Maybe then you will understand that women are not merely brooders!"

She didn't wait for his reply. She needed some fresh air, thus the balcony seemed her like the best place to be. Sif would come to fetch her once Odin arrived, anyway.

The sun was shining bright, but the summer breeze was enough to refresh her. Sigyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Theoric's impudence, Loki's affairs, Odin's arrogance… Everything was getting on her nerves today. She didn't want to pledge her loyalty to her mother's killer. When she thought of Odin, all she could see was Zisa's blood dripping from the executioner's axe…

"Ehm.. Are you still alive?"

It was Loki, in his formal outfit and helmet. Those golden horns looked even bigger when he was near. Now that he had come of age, too, he was going to wear this helmet in formal occasions, but this was the first time he wore it. It made him look intimidating, more like a prince than a friend. Still, he seemed cheerful.

"Theoric," he chuckled, looking back on his shoulder. "Your one true love…"

She rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Loki!" Regardless of the raging storm inside her stomach, Loki could still comfort her in a strange way. His presence was familiar, natural.

"What did he say this time?"

"_I simply… believe motherhood is more suitable for a young maiden than the sword. If all women chose to follow your footsteps, we Asgardians would eventually cease to exist, right_?" she impersonated him.

He raised his eyebrows. "What can I say, even my witless brother knows better." He was right, Thor had always supported Sif and Sigyn.

"Don't let him hear that."

Loki didn't want to discuss his brother with her. His jealousy had reached its peak when Odin gave Thor the mighty Mjolnir. Loki noticed Sigyn's silver sword. Her armor was white and golden, so the sword seemed a bit out of place. He had seen an identical copy of it on Sif, but her armor was silver as well. It was probably Lord Tyr who had given them these swords.

"May I?" he asked.

Sigyn handed him her new sword. It was a gift from her father for the ceremony, indeed. Sif had got one, too. He had said they deserved to carry their own customized weapons from now on. The identical swords would always remind them of the unbreakable bond between sisters. They were the finest weapons a warrior could dream of. Tyr had spared no expense.

"Nice blade," Loki whistled after inspecting it.

"And a nice helmet you have," she said as she put the sword back. "If you intend to resemble a goat, congratulations, you have succeeded."

"You know I can get you flogged for this, right?" he said, but he was just jesting. He never minded Sigyn criticizing him. It was almost like her job. Unlike the others, she did it for his own good.

Sigyn decided to play along with him. "It was a compliment, considering a goat has more honor than you do," she elaborated insinuatingly.

"What did I do this time?"

"You were courting with two sisters at the same time! Do you have any sense of shame?"

"Sigyn, I don't know how to explain it to you, but Amora and Lorelei are not like you and Sif. Not every woman shares your… pride. They are well aware of the fact that I am playing with them, and they like being played. It is just a bit of fun."

She rolled her eyes. "I am not a child, Loki. I understand who they are."

"What troubles you, then?"

"Stop humiliating yourself like this. I know that poem wasn't for Sif!"

Loki panicked for a moment. Did she know? He thought he was good at concealing his feelings…

Sigyn misinterpreted his panic. "I don't care who she really was, nor do I know if you still have feelings for her," she lied. "But these meaningless affairs… They are not for you. This is not who you are."

Loki was relieved. His confidence came back to him all of a sudden. Yes, he was good. When he was with other women, all he could think of was Sigyn, and those fools didn't suspect anything. His family, his so-called friends didn't suspect anything. Even Sigyn herself was clueless. Yet, she wasn't good at hiding her own emotions. Loki could easily sense her jealousy.

One day he would prove himself to his people. One day, they wouldn't dare to insult him anymore. Then he would make Sigyn his queen. Everyone would kneel before them as they recited their marriage vows. His only rival was an oaf who didn't know how to treat a lady. He could wait for a few centuries. Until that day, he would give slight hints to his beautiful goddess. She didn't deserve to suffer.

"Since we are re-opening the old wounds, I still have a promise to keep," he reminded her. "Watch me as we have our drinks after the ceremony."

Midgard.

"Sister, the All-Father has arrived," Sif called.

Sigyn nodded. "Let us not keep your father waiting. And Loki…"

"Yes?"

"You do not need a magical hammer to be worthy. Never forget that," she whispered before heading to meet Sif and the Warriors Three.

Loki smirked. This was the very reason he loved her.

Odin approached his throne with heavy steps, followed by Frigga. As the King sat, his family took their places by his side. Frigga was stunning as always; in time, she had embraced Lord Tyr's daughters as her own. She was so proud of them today. Thor was wearing his own helmet—he was bearing the feathers—and Mjolnir was in his hand. People would soon start thinking his hand was glued to that thing, Loki thought.

Odin gave a short speech about his new warriors' courage and skills, then ordered them to come. Volstagg, Fandral, Hogun, Sif and Sigyn stepped forward from the crowd that lined up on the two sides of the hall, then knelt before the royal family.

_We swear to fight, to bleed, to die_

_ For those we love and cherish._

_ We swear to wage war_

_ On those who would kill any who cannot defend themselves._

_ We swear to hold back the ever-growing tide of Ragnarok_

_ That comes to claim us all._


	4. Midgard

"Another!" Thor bellowed as he smashed the cup.

Loki examined him with disgust. Lady Sif sat next to his brother, smiling, her head leaned on Thor's chest. Thor buried his head on the crook of her neck, too drunk to remember where they were. He was like an animal in his mating season. Again, Loki was invisible to them. Thor had never asked his brother whether he would mind if he courted Sif. If he hadn't lied, if it was Sif whom he truly loved, he would be in unbearable agony right now and no one would care. He couldn't intimidate anybody, people just stepped on him whenever they wanted as if he didn't even exist. Even if he objected, would they take him seriously?

"Not here, my love," Sif whispered.

He groaned in disappointment as a servant brought him a new cup of wine.

"Come on, Hogun! Smile! Do you know what this is called? A celebration!" Fandral teased.

Hogun the Grim didn't smile.

"Maybe the Trickster himself can help you," Volstagg said as he took another huge bite from the chicken leg.

The Trickster. Loki hated that name. If only they knew how much patience and effort those _tricks_ required. All he wanted was to be appreciated a little.

He smiled meekly. "I have a better idea. Brother, how about a journey to Earth?" If they were going to do this, Thor was the one he had to convince.

With this question, the golden-haired prince came back to his senses. "Midgard? What are we going to do in the realm of the mortals?"

"Father saved them from the Jotuns two decades ago. Since then, they worship him as a god. I think it is time for them to meet the sons of Odin," he said proudly.

"Good idea, brother!"

"Maybe you can impress them with Mjolnir," Sif suggested.

Thor chuckled. "It is decided, then. My friends, we are going to Midgard tomorrow morning!"

"Nothing is decided!" Odin was standing behind him, with Frigga. Everyone at the table quickly pulled themselves together out of respect.

"Do you think you can travel across the Nine Realm without my permission? You are not even a hundred years old!" he went on.

Loki took over the conversation, otherwise his foolish brother would ruin everything. "Father, of course we were going to ask for your permission. Thor is just excited, and he is a bit drunk."

Odin softened. "Why do you wish to visit Midgard?"

"It is winter in most parts of the realm right now, and the situation is even worse where you fought the Frost Giants. Those monsters brought the eternal winter with them and the effects will last for many decades. I was hoping we could give them some provisions."

"What a noble idea, son," Frigga said. "You have already started thinking like a benevolent king. Odin, I think you should let them."

"If it is going to make my Queen happy, so be it," Odin said. Both Loki and Sigyn released a deep breath they had been holding for a while. As the King and the Queen left, the feast was announced to be over.

In the morning, they met at the stables. The horses were ready, and everyone was excited to see Earth. They were thanking Thor for the idea. It seemed like they had forgotten it was originally Loki's. A group of servants brought them some provisions by Frigga's orders, and then they rode to the observatory.

"Greetings, Heimdall," Thor said as they dismounted the horses. "I am sure my father has informed you about our visit…"

"Yes," he replied. "Be careful, and do not underestimate Midgard. Even the mortal world is not free from perils lurking in the shadows." He was directly staring at Sigyn. She wanted to look at Loki, but resisted the urge.

Thor chuckled. "I am not going to perish among humans, Heimdall."

"Hopefully not." He inserted his sword to open the portal and the group found themselves traveling faster than light in the rainbow bridge.

In the blink of an eye, they were standing on the Midgardian soil. They were standing in a circle created by the Bifrost, its heat had melted the knee-deep snow that covered the entire land. They were just outside a village, and soon people started gathering around them cautiously. Most of them still remembered that not all gods were benevolent.

Thor introduced himself, his brother and his friends. Mortals recalled his father, so their arrival was a source of relief and appreciation. They invited their gods to the village, and they started distributing the food they brought with them. But soon Thor got bored. If there was no fight, at least he wanted to exchange battle stories. He found the warriors of the village, and after a short conversation, demonstrated the power of Mjolnir. Everyone cheered in excitement and awe. After they distributed all the food, the rest was surrounded by curious mortals as well. They showed them great hospitality, and the whole group found Midgard exciting. They were weak, their life span was short; but they learned fast and it was interesting to converse with them.

A young girl, not older than eight, chose to approach Sigyn. She was good with children. The girl said her name was Anna. Her mother had died, and her father had sailed away on a ship to conquer new lands. The neighbors took care of her and her brothers. Sigyn pitied the little girl and took her in her arms. She wanted to know more about Asgard and the other realms, so Sigyn answered all her questions patiently, but her eyes were looking for Loki. He had disappeared while they were handing out the provisions, and hadn't been back yet.

He had found a reliable, young mortal boy and asked him if there were any local rumors about a supernatural artifact. He had said there was a temple no one would dare to visit. That information was enough. Loki returned after bribing him with a gold coin for his silence and saw Sigyn playing with a mortal child inside. He smiled vaguely. She loved children, one day she would definitely make a great mother. She noticed him standing outside, behind the window. Loki gestured her to come. She whispered something to the girl's ear, then got out. Everyone was too distracted to notice their absence.

"Where were you?" she asked as she closed the door behind her.

"I think I have found the cube's location. Are you coming with me?"

"Do you really need to ask? That's why we are here."

"Follow me, then."

They started walking up a hill. The temple was on the top. The snow was slowing them down because their legs kept sinking.

Sigyn looked at him. She was freezing in her white, fur cloak, but Loki was in his usual outfit and didn't seem bothered at all.

"Who was that mortal?" he asked.

"An orphan. Her mother died of a plague and her father has sailed far away. Do you think Odin will allow me to take her to Asgard?"

Loki looked at her as is she was insane. "No mortal belongs in Asgard." This was one of the few things he agreed upon with Odin.

"I don't understand you, Loki. Sometimes you are the most humble person I have ever known, but sometimes you are more arrogant than Thor."

"I am only being realistic. That sweet little girl will look like your grandmother within a century. What are you going to do with her then?"

"Her father will probably die, too. She will be all alone in this world with her two baby brothers!"

"Then it is a good thing that they will all be reunited in the grave in a heartbeat!"

"How can you be so cruel?" she yelled, unprepared for such an harsh response.

"You haven't seen cruel," Loki muttered.

There was obviously something in his mind, and Sigyn wanted him to spill it out. "Tell me, then, what is cruel, Loki?"

"Forget it."

"No, you started it, and you are going to tell me now!"

"Fine! I think we are all better off without your mother! I am glad she is dead!"

Sigyn stopped, her eyes wide opened with disbelief. "How could you say that?"

"Do you remember what she was teaching you when we were children, Sigyn? Do you remember how my mother reacted when she discovered? She would make you a seductress! Who knows what she was planning to do with you? Therefore yes, I am glad my father executed her." Loki was telling the truth. The idea of Sigyn being turned into a cheap harlot by her own mother made him explode with rage and envy.

Sigyn had never seen him so angry before. He always appeared calm against his brother's never ending uproar, like the surface of an undisturbed lake against a tempest in the middle of an ocean. But now he acted like a caged predator, craving to attack something, but couldn't find a target. Had the others seen him like this, they would surely learn to fear him. They would fear him more than they feared the All-Father himself.

"Then why are you helping me?" she whispered afraid of his reaction.

He couldn't believe she was really asking this question. Was she that blind? Instead of being worshipped as a god down there, he was chasing a mysterious cosmic cube with her. Could there be any other explanation than love?

But his mind worked in twisted ways, so he lied again. "Because I do not think your mother was completely insane as she pretended to be. I think she was telling the truth before she died. And if she had really found a way to cheat death, I wish to know how."

He turned his back and kept walking. This usually worked the other way around. A man pretended like he loved a maiden to get something from her or make her do something for him. He didn't pretend like he had an ulterior motive to conceal his feelings. But Loki was so afraid of starting an affair with her. People liked Sigyn, and they would constantly tell her that Loki wasn't worthy of her. That he was nothing but a shadow of his brother. That she deserved better. They would eventually turn her against him. Especially Sif. Sigyn could ignore others, but she always valued her sister's ideas. Loki couldn't bear that thought. He had to become someone people wouldn't dare to talk behind before confessing his feelings.

"Let us talk about _your_ father a bit!" she said as she caught up with him.

"What about my father?"

"Why do you think he is the most powerful being in the Nine Realms?"

"What sort of question is this? Because he is the king of Asgard."

"Or because he kills everyone he fears before they are not even able to think of killing him? Tell me Loki, is there a single planet in the Nine Realms that your forefathers have not yet waged war on?"

This was a cruel question. Their history was full of bloodshed and destruction. She was right when he thought about it, but he chose to avoid. "Isn't it ironic that the question comes from one of his warriors?" he teased.

"Like I had a choice," she snapped.

All of a sudden, they heard a growl, and it wasn't far away. This was the end of their quarrel. The intense fog limited their sight. Sigyn had heard that, too, and they both stopped to look around. Their instincts were telling them there was something dangerous nearby. Seeing nothing other than the white, vast expanse was so frustrating.

Out of the mist, a giant wolf came out running towards Loki and grabbed his arm before he was able to draw his dagger. Apart from its big, shiny, black eyes, it was completely white. A perfect camouflage for the environment. The only thing between Loki's arm and the wolf's sharp teeth was a piece of metal that covered Loki's forearm.

As he wrestled with the wolf, Sigyn drew her sword, grabbed the beast's back legs and spilled its guts. In the meantime, Loki held the front legs as strongly as possible to prevent him from attacking Sigyn.

The wolf was dead. His blood had scattered all around, even on their clothes.

"It was not of Earth," Loki commented. "Those beasts serve Odin." Loki remembered that Odin had been breeding Fenrir wolves.

"And now both of them are dead," a third voice joined the discussion. They had arrived the temple, and there was an elderly mortal standing at the gate.

"Who are you?" Loki asked.

"I am the guardian of this place."

A mortal guardian, Loki thought. Odin could have just sent one of his sentries if he wanted to protect the cube. He entered the temple without asking permission.

"Why are you here?" the man asked defensively.

"Have a care how you address me, mortal!" Loki scolded him. "I am Loki Odinson! This is my friend Sigyn Tyrdottir."

The man bowed respectfully. "It is my duty to ask those questions, Prince Loki. My father and his grandfather served Odin before me. My grandchildren and great-grandchildren will serve him as well. This is our family legacy."

Loki frowned. There were too many strange elements here, and he was trying to make sense of them.

Sigyn stepped forward. "My good sir," she started humbly. "You said the both wolves were dead. Was there another one?"

"Yes. His mate. A golden-haired witch killed her. She looked like you."

"My mother," Sigyn whispered. "She was indeed here!"

"Are you here to take the Tesseract?" he knew he didn't stand a chance against two gods if they wanted to take it, but he had to fight to the death before letting them.

"Take it? No. I only wish to see it. Please, sir. We have come a long way. Did you see the Bifrost opening? Its keeper is loyal to Odin, and he wouldn't have sent us if we had not come with good intentions," she begged sweetly.

Loki rolled his eyes. Did she really have to humiliate herself like this in front of a mere mortal? She was a goddess, and probably the most beautiful creature that had ever roamed this mundane world, and yet she acted like some commoner, pleading with the guard.

The man seemed convinced. He went to a wall with a fine relief on it. Loki didn't think mortals could be so good at art.

"The Yggdrasil," Sigyn said.

The guard pressed a hidden button on the wall and revealed a secret drawer. Loki held the box for Sigyn to open. She lifted the lid, and her face was illuminated by a blue glow that was emitted by the cube. Both Loki and Sigyn could feel its energy. Pure energy.

Sigyn was mesmerized. "Do you hear it, Loki?" she asked.

"What?"

"It is calling me."

"I do not hear anything. Let us put it where it belongs." Sigyn's reaction had scared him. She acted like she was possessed. This wasn't natural.

"We must discover what this is."

"Just another relic my father has, like the ones in his vault."

"Then why is it not in his vault?" Her eyes were fixated on the cube.

Loki didn't have an answer for that. Neither did he care anymore. All he wanted was to get her out of this place before she hurt herself.

"It is calling me," she said and took it from the box. A smoke was rising from her burning hands, but she didn't even notice.

"Sigyn, put it back! Now!"

She didn't answer. Her eyes started glowing in blue, and the Tesseract fell on the ground as she passed out.


	5. More Than Enough

First, there was only blur and humming, then her surroundings started to make sense.

"She is the younger one, is she not?" a rough, male voice asked. It was a gigantic, purple man with blue eyes. A Titan. It didn't feel right. She knew something about Titans, what was it? Right, they were extinct. She wasn't supposed to see any. Once, they used to have their own galaxy—not a planet, but an entire galaxy—but they had ceased to exist long before she was born. It was a mystery. Nobody knew why, or how it had happened. Nevertheless, there was one, standing before her, talking to a dark, smaller figure. Surely the latter was not a Titan. Actually, its presence was strangely familiar.

"Yes, she is," the figure spoke. A woman. Sigyn trembled when she turned to her. If she had to describe this horrid being, she would say that it was a living corpse. She was wearing a thin, black, worn cloak; but her rotten flesh could still be seen easily, revealing the bones at some spots. Her face, decayed like the rest of her body, was unrecognizable. Except the eyes. Sigyn saw her own bright, blue eyes looking at her.

"Mother?" she whimpered.

"Oh, my dear Sigyn, you have always been the clever one."

Only when she attempted to escape she realized that she had been chained to a rock. They were in a cave. There was no soil on the ground, but only ashes. She could smell things decaying in the distance, the only source of light was the stars shining far away. This was a land for the dead, but neither Hel, nor Valhalla. She wasn't in the Nine Realms.

"Am I dead?" she asked.

"There is still time for that, child," she comforted her.

"Where am I?"

A wry smile played about the dead face. "In my kingdom."

She shook her chained wrists. "As your prisoner?"

"No, I will soon send you back to your physical body."

Sigyn gulped. "Do you have the power to do that? You can rule the dead? Mother, what have you done?"

The Titan looked bored. "What are you waiting for, my lady? You can take her now."

"Patience, my love. Laufeyson is not ready yet, and there are other minor details."

Laufeyson? Laufey... He was the king of Jotunheim. Were the Frost Giants working with them, too? Had Zisa been uniting all of Asgard's enemies? Was there another great war approaching?

Zisa returned to Sigyn's question. "This was the only way for me to find happiness. I do not think you are able to understand the sacrifice I have made. Not yet. But we have to start your training."

Training? The word didn't sound so innocent. Sigyn remembered what Loki had said about her manipulative intentions. He was right. Zisa's execution had saved her from becoming her mother's weapon. She didn't want to seduce men. She didn't want to know how to do that. She wanted to belong to only one of them. But more importantly, she didn't want to serve this corrupt creature before her.

"No!" Sigyn screamed. "I will not be your puppet!"

"You have no choice, child," she said softly as she stroked her hair.

Sigyn trembled again as she felt the bones merged with rotten flesh. "After your death… The Vanir women who asked where all that power had gone… You used the Tesseract's power for this…"

"Very good. Go on."

"This was your plan all along…You wanted me to find it… So that you could contact me…"

"Exactly."

"No!" she shook her head. "No, I will not let you manipulate me! Let me go! Let me go!" She was struggling madly as Zisa's voice died away in the distance.

_There is no turning back now._

_ In the end, everyone obeys me. I am Death._

Sigyn's world was falling apart. All those years, everything she had done to prove her mother's innocence… The corruption she had just seen was beyond anyone's imagination. Zisa had not cheated death. She had become death itself. Sigyn knew her parents' marriage was not a happy one. She always used to reminisce about the days of her youth, talked about how happy she had been in Vanaheim. Later, when Sigyn looked back at her attitude, she sometimes thought Zisa must have left something, or someone important behind there. She even suspected it could have been a secret lover, with whom she was still in love . But, with a Titan? How did they even know each other?

No more questions, she told herself. Zisa wanted her to ask questions, because the answers would eventually led her to the dark path she wanted her daughter to follow. No more questions. Sigyn had her answer. Her mother was beyond redemption. But the reality around her was disappearing, and she was drifting in the abyss, just like when she did upon touching the cube for the first time. She was returning to her body as Zisa had promised.

"Hear that, Sigyn?" another voice asked. Soft like velvet, but full of agony and rage. She could also hear a thunder in the distance. "The mighty Thor, wielding his mighty hammer yet again. The crown prince, the worthy one. Of course, it's easy to be so proud, so confident with everyone at your beck and call. This is not what I wish for myself, but I believe I deserve some of the respect he's earned without doing a thing."

Sigyn was dazzled. Was he addressing her, or just talking to himself, using his one chance of being honest in her presence? But she found herself in a bed, her eyes were closed. She must have been unconscious since the Tesseract took her soul. She could feel Loki's fingers brushing her face, her hair, her neck as the sad monologue continued. This euphoric feeling could make her forget what she had just seen. She forced herself to keep her eyes closed, maybe this dream would last forever.

"Fate isn't always kind. But she has given me something, something I do not intend to let pass again. Something I must protect. Protect from my enemies, for their are a great many. I cannot let this gift of fate pass by, Sigyn. Which is why, you see, I've hidden it away. I think I am in love with you Sigyn, but the things we love completely, we're fated to destroy."

She could feel him slowly leaning over her. Was he going to kiss her? Please, she thought. This was her only chance to feel his lips on hers.

But Loki withdrew himself. "I'm sorry, I never meant to take advantage of your situation. Especially considering all you've done for me."

Loki started pacing up and down. He never spoke again. The dream was over. But now Sigyn knew that their feelings were mutual. His affairs with other maidens were nothing but a lie. Sigyn opened her eyes, pretending she had not heard anything. Otherwise, Loki would be terribly embarrassed. She knew he loved her. That had to be enough for now. Then her mind shifted back to the thoughts about Zisa. There were too many revelations for one day.

"Loki?" She looked around. They were in a small, modest room and she was lying in a bed. "Are we still in the temple?"

Loki helped her to sit up. He seemed unmistakably concerned. "Easy, easy. Yes, we are still in the temple. How do you feel?"

Sigyn felt normal, at least physically. Her palms were still sensitive, but at least they didn't burn anymore. Loki must have healed them. She wouldn't tell him about her encounter with Zisa. She was too tired to talk about it, and it would only bring up more questions. "I feel fine," she lied. The dark, cloudy sky could be seen out of the small window. "How long was I unconscious?"

"For a few hours."

"Damn! The others will demand an explanation."

"We will say we fought a wolf. We have enough blood on our clothes to prove it. If they want you to describe the beast, describe the one we killed outside the temple."

Sigyn chuckled. "You know how to plan a good lie, don't you?"

"This will be the last time I lie for you. You were almost going to get yourself killed today, Sigyn."

"Do not fret, Loki. I will never ask you to do something like this again. I am done."

His green eyes narrowed. "Why? What happened when you touched the cube?"

"Nothing. I only realized I have no right to be so reckless. I have a responsibility towards Sif and Father. Our family has experienced enough loss. And you were right, my mother was trying to abuse me. She is not worth it."

Loki wondered why Sigyn used the present tense while talking about Zisa. She wasn't a very good liar, but he wasn't going to push her to tell her the truth. "I am glad you gave up on this meaningless quest. Let us go back."

They left the temple, and met the group on their way back to the village. They were out looking for Loki and Sigyn. Loki told them the exciting story about the wolf as they headed to the Bifrost site. They all loved it, except Sif.

She pulled Loki closer as they walked. "Where did you_ really_ take my sister?" she whispered accusingly.

Loki smirked. "In case you haven't noticed, Lady Sif, your sister is an adult just like you are, and very capable of making her own decisions."

"Stay away from her!" she said and walked away before anyone noticed that they were arguing, leaving Loki offended and enraged. Sif didn't suspect of anything romantic between Sigyn and Loki, otherwise she wouldn't even let Sigyn be alone with him, but she still suspected he wanted to take advantage of her in some other way. Foolish woman, he thought. He was the one who always looked out for her precious sister in the battlefield. In fact, he looked out for everyone so that they wouldn't notice he exclusively protected Sigyn. He was the one who saved Sigyn today. Had it not been for him, she might have been dead now. But of course, no appreciation from Lady Sif...

Since they reunited with the group, Sigyn had one question in her mind: Should Sif know? There had to be no secrets between them. But how would the truth help Sif? She would only be more ashamed of their mother. Sif would surely go to Valhalla when she died, just like other brave warriors. She would never see Zisa again. She would never have to know about their mother's "kingdom." Why should Sigyn torture her with this burden? No, Sif didn't deserve to be devastated like this.

Thor called on Heimdall, and the rainbow beam swallowed them once again. They were back in the observatory.

"I hope you enjoyed your trip," Heimdall welcomed them.

"Oh, you know we did, Heimdall," Fandral replied cheerfully.

Their horses were waiting outside the observatory, they mounted and prepared to return to the city.

"Lady Sigyn," Heimdall said as the others galloped. "Wait."

"Yes, Heimdall?"

"I know you have a few questions for me. You may ask them now."

No more questions. She had promised herself. But she was curious about what Heimdall had to say.

"Do you know what happened to me when I touched the Tesseract?"

"I could still see your body, but your soul was gone."

"And you didn't see what I saw while I was unconscious?"

"No."

"Why did you help me? You didn't have to send us to Tonsberg. You could have told Odin what I and Loki were after."

Although Heimdall was loyal to Odin, he believed it was wrong to force the children to watch Zisa's execution. Heimdall knew it hadn't created the desired effect on Sigyn.

"I thought the truth might free you from your hatred against the All-Father. It would be a shame to lose a talented warrior and an honorable citizen like you to treason, Lady Sigyn. Whatever you saw, I hope it was enough to convince you."

"It was more than enough." Sigyn turned around and rode home.

His brief quarrel with Sif enraged Loki as he kept replaying it in his mind that night. He paced up and down in his chambers, thinking about it. He had managed to conceal his anger, but there was one fact he could no longer deny: Sif had a strong influence on Sigyn. The others couldn't change Sigyn's mind, but Sif could. She was a threat. Loki had tried everything to earn her trust as his future sister-in-law, but it was in vain. Sif would never approve of him.

Then he remembered how happy Thor was with that righteous, meddlesome quim. Why would he let them be happy while he suffered and they were the very obstacle between him and Sigyn? No, soon they would see each other's true face along with everyone else in Asgard.

As jealousy poisoned his mind and rage clouded his judgement, he cast a spell on the burning fireplace in the middle of the room and a hologram appeared in the flames.

"Loki," Amora said. "What do I owe the pleasure?"

He smirked. Everyone thought he met Amora in the feast that had been thrown for Odin's new warriors, but Loki had eyes on her and her sister for a long time, since he had heard about their unique talents.

"My beautiful Enchantress," he said. "You always cut to the chase, don't you?"

Amora rolled her eyes. "Like you are any different."

"As you wish. I offer you a very rare opportunity. Would you like to be the next queen of Asgard?"

She giggled coquettishly. "Is this a marriage proposal?"

"No. At least, not for myself. I am offering you my brother instead."

Amora tried to not to appear excited, but her eyes shone with ambition. "What about that tedious prude, Sif? I have no intention to taste her fancy sword."

"Leave Sif to me. When we are done with her, she will lose all her glory."

"If you are so sure... I am interested in hearing you."

"Then meet me in the woods tomorrow night."


End file.
